Control machine panel for switch and signal control systems



May 16, 1950 J. F. MERKEL CONTROL MACHINE PANEL FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1948 NEE - Inventor J Merkal Mam OOHQ H 15 (Ittomeg J. F. MERKEL CONTROL MACHINE PANEL FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEMS May 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1948 Fla] Zhmcntor d- F Marks] H I5 Gttorncg Patented May 16, 1950 CONTROL MACHINE PANEL FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEMS Joseph F. Merkel, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to General Railway Signal Company, Rochester,

Application May 28, 1948, Serial No. 29,704

3 Claims.

This invention relates to control machines for switch and signal control systems, and more particularly pertains to the provision of means for displaying indications on the control panels of such machines.

In switch and signal control systems, it is desirable to display the track layout in miniature on the control panel with suitable indication means for indicating when the various track sections are included in an established route and when the varioustrack sections of such established route become occupied by a train. This is espectially true in systems commonly termed entrance-exit systems in which the control panel has entrance and exit buttons disposed on the miniature track diagram'at points corresponding to the respective entrance and exit ends of the various routes of the represented track layout. It has thus been proposed for the control panels of such systems that translucentinserts be em plcyed at spaced intervals on the panel to delineate the miniature track diagram, with suitable indication lamps located on the back of the panel adjacent the various inserts for illuminating such inserts in accordance with the condition of the corresponding track sections. One'such system has been disclosed for example in the prior patent of T. J. Judge, Pat No. 2,298,946, dated October 13, 1942;

In view of the above considerations, one object of the present invention is to provide the most advantageous structural means for a control panel of insulating material for illuminating the various translucent inserts forming the miniature diagram. Since various inserts along the'miniature trackway belong to different track sections and also represent diiierent positions of the track switches, it is necessarythat the inserts be illuminated individually and selectively. For this reason, another object of the present invention is to provide unitary compact and economical light units for the diiierent translucent inserts which light units are easily installed and easily replaced in the event of trouble. However, the translucent inserts relating to the different positions of a track switch are relatively close together making it difiic'ult to provide individual illumination for the inserts for the diiferent position. Thus, a further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a dual light unit adapted for use in connection with the illumination of the translucent inserts for a track switch and which may be used in connection with the inserts for all kinds of track layouts including cross-overs as well as single track switches, and also including double cross-overs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a light unit which is adaptable for the use of standard telephone type panel lamps in such a way as to facilitate' their replacement; and to so arrange the structure that the lamps will employ a minimum ofspaceQ The present invention'contemplates that the light units will be constructed to have contact circuit connections for the lamps which serve both for electrical connections and to hold the lamps in place.

Other I objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present 'invention'will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawings and in part pointed out as the description of the invention progresses.

In describing the invention in detaiL'reference will bemade to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are generally identi" fled bycorresponding'reference characters and in which:

Fig; l is a front elevational view of an entrance-exit control panel;

Fig. "2 is a sectional side elevational View of the control panel as viewed along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of a dual light unit such as shown inpart in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is aside sectional'view of the light unit shown in Fig. '3 taken on line i-d in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional bottom view of the dual light unit taken on lines 5-5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is-a sectional endview with certain parts omitted of the dual light unit as taken on line 6-5111 Fig. 4;

Fig '7 is a top sectional View of the light unit for a single insert shown in part in Fig.- 2, and taken on line 'l--l of Fig. 9;

Fig. 8 is a side sectional view of the light unit for a single insert taken on line 38 in Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the light unit for a single insert as viewed from the left in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10'is an end sectional View with certain parts" omitted of the light unit for a single insert taken on line iiiit of Fig. 8

Figi 11 is an end view of a translucent insert for the panel} Fig. 12 is rear yiew'of the translucent insert for thepanel;

Fig. 13 is a side view of an extractor for removing the lamps from the respective light units; and

Fig. 14 is an expanded view of the two normally interlocked separators for the dual light unit of Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive.

With reference to Fig. 1, a control panel 'P is shown in part as including a miniature track diagram formed by a plurality of translucent in serts 15 which are of the form shown in Figs. 11 and 12. These translucent inserts 15 may be made of any suitable material such as glass, or some semi-transparent moldable material such as Lucite or the like. These translucent inserts l are fitted into recesses in the panel P which extend through the thickness of the panel; and are held in place by suitable cement. The panel P is of some suitable electrically insulating material and sufficiently thick to provide for the mounting of the light units as herein described.

The translucent inserts l5 are all of uniform length for convenience in manufacture and assembly, the length being relatively short in order to insure even illumination throughout its length as provided from a single electric lamp. These inserts are located at spaced intervals along the panel to form the miniature track diagram, there being a relatively small space between inserts, but of suflicient length to allow for the attachment of individual light units on the back of the panel for the respective inserts, as will be presently explained. In referring to Fig. 1 it will be noted that each track switch is provided with a translucent insert for its facing point position and two other translucent inserts, one for each trailing unit position. These three translucent ininserts may be said to constitute the portions representing a track switch, and when used in combination with other similar arrangements; 3, crossover is formed, or double cross-over, and the like as illustrated in Fig. 1.

At the end of the routes illustrated on the com trol panel P of Fig. 1 are suitable entrance and exit buttons such as IONB and lElXB, NE and IIXB, IZNB and I2XB, l3 NB and l3XIB, for example. These control buttons are employed as disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 2,298,946 for controlling the switches and signals which results in the establishment of different routes. When a route is established as for example, from entrance button I INB to exit button IZIGB, it is desirable to indicate this fact to the operator which is done by causing the selective illumination of all of the translucent inserts I5 in that route and this illumination is preferably white in color. Then when a train enters such route in response to its establishment and the clearance of a signal governing trafiic thereover, such white indication for the several translucent inserts l5 forming that route in miniature is changed to a red indication, indicating that the corresponding route is occupied by a train. Since any route may be formed by several separate track sections having individual track circuits, it is necessary to provide such control as will give the characteristic illumination of only those inserts for the corresponding track section. Also, since some of the inserts are employed in common with several routes whereas others are employed only in a particular route, it should be clearly obvious that individual illumination of the various translucent inserts l 5 is essential in order to provide for the many variations in track layouts which are found in actual practice.

With reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the single insert light unit 16 is located at the rear of the panel in a. position associated with the translucent insert l5 for the facing point position of the track switch; whereas the light unit I! is located at the back of the panel for the two translucent inserts l5 respectively associated with the opposite trailing positions of the track switch. For this reason the latter light unit is termed a dual unit since it provides illumination for two translucent inserts.

The dual light unit I! of Fig. 2 is shown by an end view in Fig. 3 and a side cross-section in Fig. 4 and a bottom cross-section in Fig. 5. From these figures it will be seen that this light unit H has a threaded circular portion Ila at one end whereas the other end llb is somewhat a square with rounded corners as can perhaps be best seen by the sectional view of Fig. 6. The back of the panel surrounding the two inserts for the trailing positions of the switch is recessed around these two inserts and threaded so as to receive the light unit H, as best seen by referring to Fig. 2. When the light unit is properly positioned, it may be locked in place by a drop of suitable cement or, where space permits, a suitable lock nut (not shown) may be used.

The light unit H is of course hollow and has a number of holes for receiving prongs on the associated spring contacts and separators which are mounted within the light unit for forming what might be termed lamp cells or spaces for the respective lamps that are placed inside the light unit. Since each insert must be selectively illuminated by two different colors, then it means that our lamps L must be mounted within the dual light units ll. Two contact springs [8 are therefore mounted at each side of the light unit by having one end 18a bent in the shape of a hook as viewed in Fig. 4 and passed through a hole such as hole IQ of Fig. 4 with its opposite end |8b looped over the outer end of the light unit in a position provided by a recess as indicated in Fig. 4 at the point 19a for the contact H8.

The inside of the light unit is molded to include two oppositely disposed grooved bosses 20 as seen in Fig. 6 so that a flat piece of opaque insulating material 2! can be slid into the light unit to separate the inner portion of the light unit I! into two parts. This separator 2| extends throughout the length of the light unit and is flush with both ends which is especially desirable at the end Ila of the light unit threaded into the panel P since the light unit I! is so turned that this separator 2! determines the particular pairs of lights L which are assigned to the two different inserts l5 for the different trailing positions of the switch with which such inserts are associated.

By referring to Fig. 14, it will be seen that this opaque insulated separator 2| is grooved as at 4| and slotted longitudinally as at 42 for a suitable distance to interlock with a metal separator 22 having a longitudinal slot 43 therein. During assembly, the metal separator 22 is slightly bent longitudinally on a line with the slot 43 and inserted into the light unit I! and when it is at a proper position such as shown in Fig. 5 the opposite halves of the metal separator 22 are straightened so that the extending prongs 22a take positions in the holes 22b in the sides of the light unit as viewed in Fig. 6. The opaque insulated separator 2i is then slid into place as previously described, the slot 42 and groove 45 fitting into the slot 43 in the metal separator 22, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6. In this way, the metal separator 22 is positively held in position and when the complete unit H is screwed into the recess in the panel P, the insulating separator 2i is also prevented from longitudinal sliding movement.

However, it should be noted that the insulating separator 2| is provided with a diagonal slot 44 at one end which permits the insertion of a colored filter 23 on a diagonal with respect to the assass n 5;. respective lamps L. a Thisfilte'r *can'be -inserted by partly removing the insulating separator 2 I placing-the filter 23' in the slot l i arid slidi the separator 2 l backinto-the' grooved bo'sses ft f in the light unit, the metal s'ep'a'ratoi 22 having 5 already been positiened as above 'de small 'sp'r in'g zt as seenin Fig-1'3 and 4 inserted-just prior-to tli'e final shd movement of theinsulatingseparator'i I so asto assure that the colored filter 23 'zvil l est--'-'ti,gzhtly the fll0 metalsepar at'orfti along the cen ter of the light uni-t as viewedin Fi'g'i i atthe' po'int 25. In thi's connection it-Will be noted -that the color -fi1'ter"23= provides a .limitfor the' lamp's L w as they are inserted :into the lamp: cells or sp'aces provided by the two separators; but tne otnertwo lamps L-are'provided-a-limit by reasonota sho 1 wire or rod extending ini fron t "of th'ezn ahdmounted 'through a hole in'itlie insulated separator 2f as viewed in Fig I3 and '4." The lampswzo such as lamp L are 'inserte'd into their respective spaces an'd held in position by the conta et springs.- I8. The complete unit canuthen be m'ountedi'to the panel-"and itsvarious-Wireconnections made to'the extendingterminals of the 'conta'ct springs '25 H 18 and the. metal" separator 22. Obviously; the" various wires makingup: Inez-necessary: circuit connection would 'makeiiit lunhand-y' :to. "remove the lamps when once installed; but. the extractor 21 shownin Fig; 13 isprovided with-'a holloww'30" slotted portion 2 3 which may the -.fitted 'over the end of any one of the "lamps;LfprOVidingTsslifficient tensionv to grip the lamp and withdraw it from :its spaceinwits light unit. The respective lampsrcan be easily inserted withoutiuse of flie extractor.

Referring to Figwfigit will abe noted that the light unit l6. (Figs; '7 'to*"10".inc.)' fora single translucent insert i5 similarlylxhas-a circular. 1

threaded" portion 1 lia which-is .adapted to: enter; 40

a threaded recesslin thenpanelPsurrounding the insert 15. -This'circularthreaded portion is an" integralpart of the complete light unit'whiolris molded of suitable insulating", material so that its lamp-holding portionllfib is oval-shapedtas shownby,dottedlinesin'. Fig. 9 and illustrated by the cross-sectional view of Fig. 10. The hollow barrel hassimilarholes' 3i at the top and recesses --3Ia at the bottom for receiving :the hooked ends 39a of the contactspri-ngstllwhich are provided with l00ps..39b at the. other end to enter the recesses 3la in the'outer ends of the light unit.

As -viewed 'in -Fig.- 7- whichiis a top sectionalview, it will be noted-that-there are four-holes 32b; two' onf each sideofthe barrel of the light unitJ Two -metal pieees .32 of the same shape andeach havingtwo prongsi'tfi on one side are oppositely disposed with -re'sp'e'ct to each unta-'- so that prongs 32a extendin both directions-into w the holes 32b as; viewed in the assembled position in Fig. 7. After these two pieces 32 are inserted into the inside of the light unit barrel on oblique planes with respect" to "each other andthen brought together; the outer en'ds' 32c are soldered togetherso that an integral separatoris thus produced within the mid portion of the light unit barrel. This sweating or soldering together of the two pieces begins at about where they leave the barrel and includes the entire extending portions 320 which also serve as terminals for connecting wires. In thi way the separator is held in .position and prepared for circuit connections.

In the circular threaded end |6a of the light rt unitf'l 6 two semi-circular piece'sfof glas's or: other; suitable niater'ial- 33; suitably color'e'd such as amber -and-* redflare inserted until *they rest against the separator portion arena the e'x'tend ing-circula'r boss 34 around the innerportion of the light uni t' A circular recess 35isprovided" around th'e'inner surface of this circular ortion just "irl ad vano' of lihe light filters" 33' sd'tl'itl) 8/- split fnet'al ring 36 may beinse'rtedintothe'cir cular 'portio'n andrecede' into'the recess "35 fo'r'f' holding the light'filters 33 in place.

The 'cor'n'pleteunit is assembled on the panel P and-the l'amp'sL inserted'in their respec'tive spaces asshown in" Figs. 2 and 8 Preferably the 'unit is turned sdthat the width or the'separator 32 is parallel to the-longitudinal axis 'of the translucentin'sert I s; as see'n inrigia- 'rhisproviue's for equal distribution or light 'from each ofthe-' In this same' 'C0i1n'eCtibn-'it Will be noted that the'meta'l separator{unit- 2 2 of the dual light uni-t IT is likewise kept' s'ho'rtf'so as to ll'owfor the' transmission or light to the entire 'surface 'of the inserts 15 from all of the lamps L. It is for this reason that it is necessary fto provide the color'filter 23 011 an oblique-anglein the '='dual unit IT. dual unit each' lamp- L mu'st illuminate5its' cor-- responding insert I 5 throughout its -length past T the separator '22 whereasin the-single light unit IS each lamp L need provid'e light pas't the sep aratortZ-brily for the Widthorthe correspond Inboth 7 light units; l5 and ll; it'isidesirablef that'the' molded material'be white in co1or or if a dark colored material is used that it -be painted' white on the inside so'as to' provide as much re fiel'ction -from the lamps L -as--possible"-to give a 7 full and completeillumination of the inserts lil' In thisconnection, it should be understood that any suitablematerial may be used to rno1d"the' be used, if *d'esir'edi It will also 'be'noted that the various holesfin the light unit" b'arrels' for -s'upporting the"con tact springs and the separator pieces; provide "for conve'ctionbf air currents allowin'g'the-prope'rcooling' 'efiect"totake place." This-is espe-" cially useful since the shapeof the units is such as to :provide .ampleair circulation between the rtsinfsipite units for'theadjace'nt tian'slu close togetheii'i' de theiorganiiatio w 1 lt is to be *understood' that VaIious -mtjdifira indicated at 38, may be placed on the panel P between successive translucent inserts [5 in order to make the miniature trackway of the diagram continuous throughout. It is also to be understood that the present invention is applicable to an NX system or any other switch and signal control system where miniature track diagrams of the illuminated type are desired, and when applied to any such system will be equally offthe" fact that me -various units arerelativelyf useful for any track layout encountered in practice. It is believed that the various parts of the present embodiment of the invention are of such a typical nature that those skilled in the art can readily construct more complex diagrams from the simplified showing in this disclosure. Since the present invention relates more particularly to the structure of the indication displaying means for a control panel, no attempt has been made to show how the lamps for the different light units may be controlled. But it should be understood that any suitable control may be employed as desired, one typical control organization being disclosed in the above mentioned patent to Judge, Pat. No. 2,298,946.

Having described and shown a structure for displaying indications along the miniature trackway of a miniature track diagram on a control panel as one specific embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this form is selected to facilitate the disclosure of the present invention rather than to limit the number of forms such invention may assume, and it is to be further understood that various modifications, adaptations and alterations can be applied to the specific form shown to meet the requirements of practice without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of the invention except as limited by the appending claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a control panel of insulating material for a switch and signal control system having two diverging tracks connected by a track switch represented thereon by at least two translucent inserts mounted in slots in said panel which slots pass through the panel, there being one such insert for each trailing point position of the track switch, a light unit having a circular threaded portion adapted to be received by a threaded recess in the back of said panel surrounding said inserts for both said trailing positions of said switch, said light unit being hollow for receiving a plurality of electric lamps for the selective illumination of each of the inserts, and an opaque separator of insulating material between the lamps for the insert of one trailing \point position and the lamps for the insert for the other trailing point position, to thereby form a double lamp unit, a metal separator straddlin said opaque separator at right angles thereto and positioned between the lamps in each half of the double lamp unit, and color filter means associated with the lamps for both trailing point positions, whereby the inserts for both positions may be made to appear distinctive depending upon the selective energization of the lamps for that position.

2. In a control panel of insulating material having a substantial thickness, a plurality of translucent inserts mounted in said panel, a double light unit having a circular threaded portion at one end adapted to be received by a shallow threaded recess in the rear of said panel surrounding said translucent inserts, said double light unit being hollow and of such shape as to be divisible into at least four light cells, an opaque separator and a metal separator straddling one another at right angles to each other and mounted within said light unit case to form said lamp cells, said metal separator having projections on either side which extend into holes in said case to thereby make said separator secure in its mid position within said case, contact springs and lamps mounted longitudinally in each light cell, said contact springs and said metal separator acting both as electrical conductors and as a means of maintaining said lamps in their effective positions, and color filter means associated with the lamps for both trailing point positions, whereby the translucent inserts for both positions may be made to appear distinctive depending upon the selective energization of the lamps for that position.

3. In a control panel, a light unit for securing to the back of the panel for the illumination of a plurality of translucent panel inserts comprising in combination, a circular case having open ends, one end of said case being threaded for attachment of the case within a circular threaded recess in the back of the panel, said case having diametrically disposed bosses with longitudinal slots formed therein, and said case having diametrical openings therein displaced from aid bosses, a diametrical metal separator disposed within said case having detents engaging in said openings, said separator having a central longitudinal slot, a diametrical insulating separator disposed within said case and within said slots of said case, said insulating separator passing through said slot of said metal separator, whereby four individual lamp cells are formed for receiving respective lamps longitudinally within said case, and a metal contact strip secured longitudinally in each of said cells within said case, said contact strip being diametrically disposed in that lamp cell with respect to said metal separator so that said metal separator serves as a common electrical connection for all four cells and an independent circuit connection is provided in each cell by said contact strip.

JOSEPH F. MERKEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,094,134 Obergfell Sept. 28, 1937 2,305,185 Merkel Dec. 15, 1942 2,315,420 Harrington Mar. 30, 1943 2,317,472 Merkel Apr. 27, 1943 2,355,149 DeGiers Aug. 8, 1944 2,374,408 Braidwood Apr. 24, 1945 2,414,527 Hudson Jan. 21, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 425,925 Germany Mar. 4, 1926 468,103 France Apr. 15, 1941 500,957 Great Britain Feb. 17, 1939 

